Manipulator for laser knife

Abstract

A laser knife is provided with a mechanism by which a plurality of specialized hand pieces may be detachably coupled to the front end portion of the optical fiber light path for the laser.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A manipulator for a laser knife using an optical fiber light guide as a light conducting path, comprising; an elongated hand piece detachably coupled to a forward portion of said optical fiber light guide, said hand piece being shaped to enable the part to be irradiated with said laser to be confronted with an end portion of said hand piece,   an elastic sleeve member comprising a continuous member positioned with a thickened portion abutting the opposite end portion of said hand piece, and being held to said fiber light guide under its own elastic force, and a connector disposed over said optical fiber light guide and said thickened portion of said elastic sleeve and adapted to couple said hand piece to said fiber light guide through said thickened portion of said elastic sleeve disposed between said connector and said fiber light guide, by pressing said thickened portion into close contact with said fiber light guide and said hand piece.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said connector and said hand piece each having connection means for engaging one another. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, said connection means comprising mating screw threads. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said hand piece receiving said forward portion of said optical fiber internally thereof. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said hand piece including a further optical fiber light guide fixedly received therein, said manipulator further including means for optically coupling said forward portion of said optical fiber light guide and said further optical fiber light guide of said hand piece. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, said optical coupling means comprising at least one lens disposed in at least one of said hand piece and said connector-coupler. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, said connector-coupler including a lens holder and a coupling member for connecting said lens holder to said hand piece, and said connector comprising a cap member coupling said lens holder and said forward portion of said optical fiber light guide. 
     
     
       8. A manipulator for a laser knife using an optical fiber light guide as a light conducting path, comprising; an elongated hand piece detachably coupled to a forward portion of said optical fiber light guide, said hand piece being shaped to enable the part to be irradiated with said laser to be confronted with an end portion of said hand piece,   an elastic sleeve member positioned over a part of said fiber light guide and being held to said fiber light guide under its own elastic force,   a connector disposed over said optical fiber light guide and said elastic sleeve,   a connector-coupler detachably connected to both said connector and said hand piece and having an end adjacent said elastic sleeve member, said connector coupling said connector-coupler to said fiber light guide through a portion of said elastic sleeve disposed in contact with each of said coupler, said connector-coupler and said fiber light guide.